HELLOOOOOO the Perfume Posse! Portia from AustralianPerfumeJunkies bringing you one of my go-to scents, Premier Figuier Extreme. I wear it often, though not nearly as much as it deserves. I had long had my acquisitive eye upon a bottle and while in Budapest earlier in the year with Jin we were lucky enough to come across the friendly and handsome Zsolt, proprietor who is also a talented perfumer, at his shop
Jin, Zsolt & Portia
@
LE PARFUM CROISETTE
Hotel Le Méridien – Fashion Street
Deák Ferenc utca 18, 1052 Budapest
They have an online shop but sadly there is only the ability to send within Hungary.
Premier Figuier Extreme by L’Artisan Parfumeur 2004
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Coconut milk, sandalwood, dried fruits, fig leaf, almond milk, fig, fig tree
The fresh green-ness of Premier Figuier Extreme is the first thing you notice, so pretty and, um, green. We have hydrangeas in the yard and when you cut them back there is a green, sappy, milky smell that is like this but you also have to add some nearly sweet fruit on top, green fig but almost edible. I love how the coconut milk/cows milk/almond milk gently moves in to take centre stage, I use all of thos milks because at different times there is a resemblance to all of them, a fabulous jammy, figgy, milky concoction that whisks me away and I’m dreaming of a Greek island picnic, there is even a yeasty feel of fresh bread dough awaiting the oven or as it comes out warm from it, though I have only ever been to Zakynthos and it is much better known for olive groves. My skin also throws up a slight saltiness, briny and fresh. Whenever I spritz Premier Figuier Extreme my mind asks me why I don’t do it way more often.
For a L’Artisan I get excellent longevity and can smell wisps of woodsy fig jam well into the 5 hour mark, sometimes surprising me as I bend or turn and huffing up my shirt. Wearable for most workplaces if applied with a light hand, though the sillage and scent bubble is perhaps a bit too much for very close quarters. I like to go shopping in it solo so I can really enjoy the fun and ride, also an excellent dinner or date scent. Smelling like a yummy dessert is a good ploy if you are going to offer yourself up as one, especially when it’s as subtly as Premier Figuier Extreme.
Photo Stolen GraduallyGreener
Something else I love about Premier Figuier Extreme is its wearability at any time of the year and find that different facets present themselves in each season. Unlike Philosykos by Diptyque, I find and find that Premier Figuier Extreme is welcoming and warm, an enticement rather than a cold shoulder. To really amp up the sex appeal breath heavily down your top with your mouth, the warmth and human breath give a whole new sensuality to the fragrance that is extremely alluring.
Photo Stolen vk.com
Further reading: BoisDeJasmin
L’Artisan Parfumeur site has $120/50ml
Surrender To Chance start at $5/ml
What are your favourite figs and why? Is this one a goody or rubbish? I love to read what you think, come on it’s supposed to be a conversation. Give me a thrill and say howdy.
If you liked this then why not trot across to AustralianPerfumeJunkies and have a squiz there too, we adore visitors.
Portia xx
hi! my favorite fig is the original premier figuier. it works much better on my skin than l’extreme.
but i’m really here to say that you, portia, are quite handsome out of drag. nice to see you in that way, too.
cheers,
minette
Hmmm … funny you should suggest that Philosykos has a coldness to it. Of course that is what makes it summer friendly for a lot of people, but I find Philosykos not so much cold as, well, rather dull and one dimensional. I loved it at first, but gradually found that I was hardly ever wearing it. Good thing I stopped at the decant stage, rather than FB. So it sounds like I should give PFE a good try-out.
My local paper says that figs are now being sold at my local farmer’s market. In Canberra? At this time of the year? I’m heading there this weekend to find out.
Sweet Jayzus it’s cold today.
BRASS MONKEYS in Sydney too AnnMarieC.
OH MY GODS!! I like the PFE in both summer and winter, it feels really warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Figs at the Farmer’s Market.
Portia xx
Howdy, Portia! What a nice photo of you three up top — a very handsome bunch indeed! I’m usually not much of a fig fan, but with the mention of the coconut and sandalwood, I’m almost tempted to try it. Thanks!
Do please try it Ann and come tell me what you thought.
Thanks also for the nice compliment. We had a wonderful time with Zsolt, he was too sweet.
Portia xx
Portia dear!
I cannot believe that You were here in Budapest!!!
I was like O,O when I saw the photo of You together:)! Zsolt is such a cute and modest guy, isn’t he? I love his little shop as well. They are always so helpful.
PFE is my favourite fig scent, and I’m a longtime advocate:) (as a scent and as a fruit as well). I wore it on my honeymoon in Croatia a few years ago, and I remember sniffing real fig trees and trying to compare:). Also like Philosykos, but I usually reach for PFE’s coconutty creamyness for summer comfort. Thanks for this:)!
Hugs!
elf.
Hey there Elvie,
I was THERE!! In Budapest. I wrote about it before we left but you must have missed it. Maybe I only wrote about our destinations on APJ. SORRY! We would have loved to have walked and talked frags with you.
We felt so lucky to have got there for the full reveal of Parliament along the river, when Jin was there in 2012 it was still covered in scaffolding. And we saw great stuff at the gallery.
Please give my love to Zsolt. He is so sweet.
Also, if you are trotting past Neroli could you find out why they just refunded my Paypal? I’d love to know and they aren’t responding.
Portia xx
Oh how I would have loved a fumedate with You guys! I’ll keep an eye out for such things from now on:).
It’ll be a few weeks till I am going to Bp. next, (I’ve been last week), but I’ll make sure to give Your best to Zsolt. I’ve called Neroli for You, and the lady said that You should try again, as they’ve received several paypal payments today as well, so it will hopefully work next time. If not, they can help You out in English via email, and give You their account number, so You could perhaps make a direct order. If I can help with anything else please let me know. It’s happened to me once, and the second try worked as far as I can recall.
Btw, have You been at Madison as well? They also have some great stuff in there.
Hugs,
e.
I’ve read about PFE and would probably like it as I am slowly acquiring a taste for fig (fruit)-centered fragrances. I enjoy Womanity, and agree that the brininess keeps it just on the edge of edibility- a good thing in my book. ‘Dambrosia’ by Profumum Roma you really must experience sometime if you haven’t- it’s unusual, and has a creamy, nutty, sweet-yet-not-quite-edible quality… and by the same house, ‘Ichnusa’ -the masterpiece-in-green featuring fig leaf and wood paired with myrtle. It always puts me in a very serene mood when I wear it (and I’ve been needing it more on some days than others). And as for Ninfeo Mio- if only it would last… I would be an instant fan! Four hours tops on me 🙁 And to finish off my fig-rambling, I thought of suggesting to you a few weeks back that you pick up ‘Al Raheem’ by the Jain Perfumers in Delhi- but I didn’t know at the time your fig-stance- it is a truly marvelous attar, easily leaving one obsessed! (which I kinda sorta am)
Damn!! I would have picked up an Al Raheem had I known. How nice are they at JanPat? So friendly.
Also thanks for pointing out a couple I am yet to try. Do you love them enough for bottles at home? Or do you repeat sample them?
Portia x
I collected every.single.darned.one of the Profumum samples (except Rosa Mundi which hadn’t been released yet), took notes on each, and made a want-list, and then sold the lot on Ebay to some other giddy perfumista (you know who you are!) Ichnusa was an immediate-FB-must-have for me, and I own a precious few others from the house- all guarded by spells and hexes lest anyone even think of venturing near 😉 , but geez- why can’t they sell half/50ml bottles? I’d have a few more if that were the case. Each one was a definite *ouch* on the wallet- but oh, the quality…
Nikhil Jain is very nice- (methinks the JanPat vendors could teach the world a thing or two about customer-service) and they will take international orders via a clunky, money-wire system FYI- which is how i acquired my last lot. Still, with shipping, it only came to about 9 USD/16ml vial- a pittance to pay for such luxury and a sad example of the exchange-rate between worlds. But oh- what noses they wield! Cheers-
I lie fig but haven’t tried a ton of them. I have a sample of this and I do like it but need to spend more time with it. I’m also one of those rare people who Womanity seems to work for. I know it has a lot of haters but I think I wear it well. Lol.
YAY Poodle, Me too. I adore it. Womanity is awesome on me too.
Portia xx
This Extreme version is just too. much. COCONUT to my nose. I really don’t like coconut (it’s killing Lush Furze for me, too). My favourite fig is Ninfeo Mio, though the strident topnotes are just a tad too much. I bought it in Barcelona in spring, and it reminds me of Gaudi whenever I smell it. Good memories! And least favourite fig, hands down, is that abomination Womanity. That’s probably my top contender for worst perfume ever, in fact.
Ha Ha HA! Hester, you clearly haven’t found your fig. There will be one someday. Ha Ha Womanity. I love it, So sad it doesn’t work for you.
Portia xx
Figs are in season and the season is fleeting. I am taking full advantage of it…with my favorites being fresh figs soaked in balsamic vinegar or prosciutto-wapped figs and parmesan – YUM. In fragrances, my favorite figs are Philosykos EDT and SSS Fig Tree. I have a sample of the Premiier Figuier Extreme somewhere!
Hiya Hajusuuri,
YUM they sound delicious wrapped in proscuitto, I love my rockmelon wrapped with it. SO GOOD>
Come back and tell me how the PFE was on you.
Portia xx
I like fig scents (and will eat my way through a crate of fresh figs if given half a chance), though I generally prefer them as home fragrances rather than body perfumes. Jardins de Kerylos by PG is beautiful, and I love Liz Zorn’s Figgy Plum!
I have a Figgy Plum around here somewhere. I LOVE SOIVOHLE frags and Liz Zorn is a genius.
Do you have any others of the range?
Portia xx
I really like fig fragrances, and I still haven’t gotten around to trying Premier Figuier or Premier Figuier Extreme. Not sure why. I think I’d like them. I’m generally a fan of Olivia Giacobetti.
I really like Philosykos and SSS Fig Tree, which kind of reminds me of Philosykos in EdP. I like Ninfeo Mio and Jardin en Mediterranee, but I don’t *love* either of them. Ninfeo Mio has a citrus note in it that makes me think of lemon drops and lasts kind of a long time, and I wasn’t crazy about that when I tried it. JeM starts out nice, but as it dries down it gets a bit nondescript on me, so I haven’t felt compelled to own it. I also like Womanity. It’s a little on the sweet side, but for me the salty note is what keeps it from being too sweet. So yeah, the caviar kind of makes it for me. Weird, I guess, but there you go.
100% with you on Womanity but the fig sits way in the background on me. I get loads of salty brine and freshness, very girlish. At least you’ve had a dance with a bunch of figs Jennifer Counts and can say that they were less than inspiring for you.
Maybe you’ll like the PFE, I found the PF didn’t last long enough. Maybe I said that already.
Portia xx
I’ve been meaning to try Parfums de Nicolai’s Fig Tea. Have you tried that one? It sounds nice, and it’s cheap! I haven’t tried Aftelier’s Fig yet. I have tried a couple rounds of samples from Aftelier but haven’t gotten around to that one.
The only fig I’ve tried is Miller Harris’ Figue Amer. Loved the opening, but the drydown sent me scrubbing, and I’ve been fig-averse since! Your description of this one makes me want to try again–love coconut as well. Wish my local Neiman Marcus hadn’t just stopped carrying L’Artisan…
That is a TOTAL bummer. GRRRR. Thank goodness for Surrender To Chance.
Do have a go, I never tried the Miller Harris but it could be anything in the ingredients list that went nasty on you.
Portia xx
So glad to see you writing about this one, because I love it, too. For me, it’s the combination of sandalwood, galbanum and fig that I love. The mix of resinous green, wood, and fig is just beautiful. I totally agree that it’s a year-round beauty. I didn’t notice the creamy, milk or coconut notes until others pointed them out. My skin doesn’t amplify those notes, so they are way in the background on me.
I haven’t tried the Diptyque fig, but it has always sounded good to me. I have tried AG Ninfeo Meo, and it was a bit sour on my skin. Not my favorite. Absolutely ABHOR Womanity. Their “caviar and fig” is my “dirty sweat socks covered up with fruity air freshener!” 🙂 Truly, the worst smelling thing I’ve smelled in ages. That’s okay. I’ll stick with a winner: PFE.
HA HAHA!! “dirty sweat socks covered up with fruity air freshener!” Hilarious Dina C.
I have yet to try Ninfeo Meo, the name alone is enough to stop me in my tracks, and I usually love AG. Womanity works for me, nicely thank goodness. Diptique was not a favourite for me. I’ll happily stick with PFE, though I do keep thinking about Mandy Aftel’s beautiful FIG.
Portia xx
Mmmm, fig. Philosykos was my introduction to fig perfumes, and it was love at first sniff. I now own it, as well as Buddha’s Fig and Fig Tree, and Ninfeo Mio is winging its way to me as we speak. Because I like to examine *all* the possbilities, I’m also in the midst of a major fig sampling right now (20 down, 12 to go). I quite liked PFE and want to do a wrist-to-wrist with Philosykos to compare, as well as a throwdown between Santal Massoia and Bois Naufragé.
OMG!! I love how you are doing this Dionne. Do I feel an APJ post coming on about some of your favourite figs? That would be terrific.
Portia xx
I’ve found that I dislike fig leaf in perfume, intensely so. Don’t mind the fruit (and love eating it), but there’s something almost poisonously bitter in the leaf, so that I’m nearly guaranteed failure with a fig fragrance. Didn’t like PFE, didn’t like Phil, didn’t like… what was that other thing… oh yes, AdP Fico d’Amalfi, really hated Womanity (though I think that was the caviar instead). Did not care for Ninfeo Mio or SSS Fig Tree. Fig’s juuuuuust not my thing.
But wanted to say I enjoyed your description of it, and that Jin’s a cutie. Mwah.
Hey malsnano86,
So nice to see you and have you write. I love the Muse in Wooden Shoes blog and read it whenever it drops in my box. You have such a great family, they have a great Mum. (I hope you are her!?!)
Shame about the figs for you. Did you get closer with Hermes Jardin Mediterranee? That seems lighter and sweeter, no I just spritzed myself with it and it probably bothers you too.
Jin is a cutie. I am lucky beyond measure, he is also hilarious, handy around the house and a great cook.
Portia xxx
Yeah, I’ll claim those kids. They’re great.
Haven’t tried the Hermes. I liked Jardin sur le Nil but I never wore it, and passed my small bottle on to someone else.
Philosykos is my go-to fig scent, and like PF does you, ‘Phil’ reminds me of a fig grove in Greece. When I try on PF I get this weird little acidic smell- not big enough to ruin the scent for me, but enough to unnerve me out of really enjoying it. Thankfully, Philosykos satisfies my fig craving perfectly.
How lucky are we Connie that there is so much great choice in figs these days. Did you ever try Aftelier’s Fig? It’s amazing, very different from these.
Portia xx
I’m very amiss in that I haven’t yet tried anything from Aftelier! Can you believe it?